Hefner died Wednesday at the age of 91, the magazine announced in a statement, writing that he "peacefully passed away today from natural causes at his home, The Playboy Mansion, surrounded by loved ones."

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Playboy published outstanding writers (Joseph Heller, Margaret Atwood, Norman Mailer) and distinctive interviews with acclaimed and controversial figures, including Fidel Castro, Miles Davis and Malcolm X.But who are we kidding?

In 1955, Playboy published Charles Beaumont's " The Crooked Man ," a short story set a future where the majority of the population is gay and heterosexual men are persecuted.

As popular culture changed, Playboy was caught between critics, who considered Hefner the emblem of anti-feminism, and competitors like Larry Flynt's Hustler , who were explicit to the point of raunchy.

He relocated to a Southern Californian mansion (complete with a koi pond, game room, grotto and movie theater) to host lavish parties.

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Hugh Hefner, Playboy founder who built his empire in Chicago, dies at age 91Chicago Tribune